How to Taper Correctly

Whether it's your first or sixth marathon, there are dos and don'ts to tapering.

I’m about to run my sixth marathon but I still have questions about tapering. I usually go to the gym for weight training twice a week. Should I keep doing this up until the week of the race? What about cycling classes? I was doing this once or twice a week too, but should I stop going before the race?

Annie

Dear Annie-

Thanks for your great question! Tapering is one of the most important aspects of the marathon training cycle and yet, it is also one of the most difficult to implement because runners fear cutting back on training. In theory, tapering sounds great- cut back on mileage, sleep in, and eat. The reality is that we find ourselves going crazy during the taper period because we fear losing our fitness and gaining weight. However, reducing mileage is vitally important for full recovery from previous workouts and for peak performance.

Research has shown that tapering is essential for a successful race. Some studies indicate that tapering properly can mean a 3 percent improvement in performance; which in running terms means a possible PR! Shaving even a few minutes off your marathon time may mean the difference between a PR, finishing before the cut off time, or qualifying for Boston! Tapering allows muscle glycogen stores to return to peak levels. Metabolic enzymes, antioxidants, and various hormones, depleted during training, return to their optimal ranges. Muscle and connective tissues repair and strengthen. And, the body’s immune system improves dramatically too. In short, tapering allows your body to prepare for peak performance. One study concluded, “The primary aim of the taper should be to minimize accumulated fatigue, rather than to attain additional physiological adaptations or fitness gains."

During the taper, it is most important to remember this: physiological adaptations to training take a minimum of six weeks. Therefore, training hard during the final two to three weeks before your marathon is not going to improve your performance. Doing too much during the taper period can destroy your marathon performance. Your best bet for peak performance is to resist the urge to do more. When it comes to tapering, less really is more!

Tapering begins immediately upon completing your last long training run, which is usually between 20 and 23 miles. Tapering means reducing the volume of your weekly training mileage during the final two to four weeks leading up to the marathon. The three-week taper plan seems to be the most commonly used plan among marathoners. Tapering properly means cutting your weekly mileage volume by 20 to 30 percent each week from your highest volume week, for three weeks. For example, if your highest mileage week was 40 miles, you would cut your mileage by 8 to 12 miles. For example, Week 1 of your taper would then be 28 to 32 miles. In addition to cutting mileage, keep your run intensity to your goal race pace, and no faster.

It’s best to cut out cross-training in the final two to three weeks before the marathon too. Save your energy for the race. Drop leg or lower body weight training and spinning at the beginning of your taper period. You can keep upper body weight training for another week. For swimming, reduce the volume of yardage in swimming by 20 to 30 percent during the first two weeks of tapering. At the end of Week 2, drop it altogether. You can continue yoga or pilates during the first and second week of the taper, and then discontinue them during your final week of taper. Keep stretching and doing abdominal exercises throughout your taper period.

Make some adjustments in your nutrition too during the taper period. Increase protein intake during the first week of the taper period to provide plenty of protein for muscle repair. Increase your complex carbohydrate intake and reduce fat intake during the entire taper period. Include plenty of the traditional sources of carbohydrates like rice, pasta, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Drink plenty of fluids. Reduce alcohol and caffeine consumption during these last few weeks because they are diuretics. You may experience a slight weight gain of 2 to 4 pounds during the taper period but, don’t worry, that’s your stored carbohydrate and water on board, which will come in handy during the marathon!

All the best to you!

Susan S. Paul, MS

For more tips for beginner runners and to find the right training plan for you, check out The Starting Line, the beginner's program from Runner's World.

Susan Paul has coached more than 2,000 runners and is an exercise physiologist and program director for the Orlando Track Shack Foundation. For more information, visit www.trackshack.com.

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